Cleaning can feel more like a full time occupation than a chore if your family members – especially teenagers – glide through life dumping dirty dishes in the sink, leaving used glasses on the countertop, and never emptying the trash can like you asked them to.

You don’t have to be house proud to understand that a home quickly gets messy and over time, becomes neglected. But with a little elbow grease, even the toughest of homes can shine.

Staying on top of dust and dirt requires diligence, but a little planning will make your life easier.

Below are seven tips to help you cope with the day-to-day burden of running a good home and minimizing your overall load of housework.

Steam Powered

A steam cleaner can transform your life! It’s the perfect gadget for wooden floors or those covered by tiles, laminate, and vinyl. Clean floors help keep the rest of the home clean, too. Here’s a tip: put a drop of lavender or essential oil on the fabric of the mop to leave your home smelling fresh.

Great Gloss

If you’re constantly wiping paintwork, you’ll want enamel gloss as the type of paint you choose or a highly washable water based paint. They are more durable than the alternatives and easier to wipe clean.

Elevated Furniture

Sofas and chairs on legs will make your living areas look bigger and be easier to clean under. If you have a robot vacuum, this is the perfect approach (if you don’t, run out and get one now – they are amazing inventions!).

Dig Deep

Long exposure to water turns silicon seals black. You’ll see this most often behind the faucets of a kitchen sink. Distilled white vinegar is the ultimate cleaning agent. If that doesn’t work, dig out the silicone and regrout.

Stain Pains

Marble and composite stone countertops require constant vigilance. Stains from turmeric, red wine, pineapple juice, raspberry cordial, and mom’s Bolognese are constant threats. A good scouring liquid will help, but you need to keep a constant eye on them when you’re cooking with these ingredients. There’s no shifting a stain that sits too long.

End Of Open Shelving

Kitchen designers love open shelves, but they don’t have to clean them. Fashion is quickly moving back to ceiling high cabinets for more storage and less cleaning!